Shell-fuse.



G. P. WATSON.

SHELLl FUSE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 30.1904.

nventoz "PATENTED AUG. 22,1905. 1

sfraras .Parana arriba. f

CHARLES P. WATSON, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WATSON ORDNANCE COMPANY OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

S H E L LHF U S E Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1905.

' Application filed Ju1y so, 1904. serial No. 219.095.

to be a full, clear, and exactdescription ofv the invention, such as will enable others skilled in lehe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to shell-fuses; and ithas for its especial objects the element of Vsafety and the insurance of a positive arming of its parts.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists generally in `interposing a barrier adapted to be acted upon centrifulgally between a movable plunger or hammer and the detonating-cap and specifically in a movable firing-pin and specialv means for normall5T holding said firing-pin out of contact with the detonating-cap.

The invention further consists of a novel construction and arrangement of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully explained, and briefly stated in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central 1ongitud-inal section of my improved fuse; Fig. 2, a front or face view of the barrier in closed position; Fig. 3, a similar view in open position; Fig. 4, an inner face view of the primerplug; Fig. 5, a side view of the hammer or plunger; Figs. 6 and 7, end views of the hammer, showing modified form of barrier in closed and open'position; and Fig. 8, a side view of the hammer. v

Referring to the several views, the numeral 1 indicates the stock, 2 the plunger, and 3 the primer-plug. The stock is provided with the usual flanged head 4 and screw-thread 5 for securing. it in the shell. The stock is bored to provide a plurgerchamber 6 and a priming chamber i, the two chambers being se arated by the primerplug, which is provided) with a firing-channel 8, leading from the detonating-cap `9 to the priming-chamber. Therinner face or rear vend of the primer-plug is provided with an annular groove 10 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

A barrier r11, composed of two jaws 12, hinged together at one end, is pivo ted on the front end of the plunger. The under edge of each jaw is provided with a kerf or slot 13, ending, preferably, in an annular socket 14, in which is seated the ball end of spring-le vers 15, the other end of each lever being ivoted or hinged on a pin 16, having a flat iiead 17 anda point 18, the head resting on the face or end of the plunger and the point normally seated in the groove 10 of the primer-plug, the whole constituting a fl-y ing firing-pin. The point 18 is maintained in the groove 10 by the pressure vexerted by a spring 19, which has one end seated in a recess in the end wall of the plunger-chamber and the other end in a similar recess in the rear end of the plunger. will be noticed that the point 18 is held both out of engagement and out of alinement with the detonating ca andy consequentlyv all danger of accidenta or premature explosion of the detonating-cap is prevented, 'tht-1s insuring perfect safety in handling a shell fitted with the fuse.

When the shell is fired from a gun, the sudden shock causes the plunger to set back and withdraw the point 18 from the annular groove 10, leaving the jaws free to be acted upon by centrifugal force. As the jaws iiy out the levers 15 are caused to open and bring the flying firing-pin into almement with the detonating-cap, so that when the shell encounters an object the firing-pin will be forced against the cap by the sudden and forceful forward movement of the plunger.

ln order that the plunger may not beretarded in either its rearward. or forward movement by the cushioning of air, l provide the-plunger with one or more grooves. or channels 20, preferably in its outer surface, whereby `the' air may freely pass from one end to the other.,

ln Figs. 6, 7, and 8 l have shown a modified form of plunger and barrier. The face or front end of the plunger is provided with grooves 21 and 22, running at right ang-les to eachother, and seated in one of the channels is a pair of slidable blocks 23 23, to which are suitably attached the spring-levers of the flying iiring- In this form it will be noted that the slidable blocks in normal or unarmed position completely `protect'the detonating-- cap and that the firing-pin rests in the groove 22 out of all danger of engagement lwith. said ln this position itk detonating-cap until the slidable blocks are 'acted upon by centrifugal force.

. posed between the plunger and the cap-carrying plug, and a flying firing-pin carried by the barrier and controlled thereby.

2. In a shell-fuse, the combination with a stock, a plunger movable therein, anda capcarryinglplug, of a pair of jaws interposed between t e plunger and cap-carrying plug, and a flying iringin attached to said jaws.

3. In a shellfuse", the combination with a stock, a plunger movable therein, and a cap# carrying plugfor` a pair of jaws pivotcd to the plunger, and a flying firing-pin connected to the jaws.

4. In a shell-fuse, the combination with a stock, a plunger movable therein, and a capcarrying plug, of a pair of jaws pivoted to the plunger, a lying firing-pin connected to the jaws and means normally holding the firingpin away from the cap.

5. In a shell-fuse, the combination with .the stock, a plunger movable therein, and a cap-carrying plug, of a pivoted barrier interposed between the plunger andoap-carrying plug, a flying firing-pin connected to the barrier and controlled thereby, and means normally holding the firing-pin'l out of' Contact with the cap.

6. In a shell-fuse the combination with the stock, a plunger movable therein, and a cap-carrying plug, of a barrier interposed bes. In a Shen-fuse, the combiation with..

the stock, a plunger normally seated therein, and a cap-carrying plug, of a pair of aws ivoted to the plunger, a firing-pin, a pair o levers connecting the firinffin with the jaws, and means normally ho (lling the tiring-pin out of contact with the cap.

9. Ina shell-fuse, the combination with the stock, a plunger'movably seated therein, and a cap-carrying lug, of a barrier interposed between the p unger and cap-carrying plug, a flying iirin -pin connected to the barrier, and an annu ar groove arranged in the cap-carrying plug to receive and normally hold the ringpin out of contact with the ca i.

IIn testimony whereof I afliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES P. WATSON. Witnesses:

U. G. VoGAN, JAs.'J. MGAFEE. 

